Are you travelling by public transport? If so, you always need a valid ticket. At GVB, you can pay for your journey in different ways. For example, with a:
Debit card / credit card (OVpay)
Mobile phone or smartwatch (OVpay)
Barcode ticket (e-ticket)
Public transport chip card (OV-chipkaart)
Paper chip card
On this page, we explain the advantages and purchase location for each payment method.
You can travel easily with public transport using your contactless debit card, credit card, mobile phone or smartwatch.
Would you like to know how OVpay works and how you travel with it? Or do you have a different question about checking in and checking out? View this page for more information.
It is important that you always check in and check out with the same card, mobile phone or smartwatch. For example, if you check in with your debit card and check out with your mobile phone, this is seen as an incomplete transaction. You’re using two payment methods and so are checking in two times. We advise you to take your card out of your wallet or card holder and consciously check in and out with the same card.
You can check in and check out with a contactless debit card or credit card. Registering in advance is not necessary.
Can you use your mobile phone or smartwatch for contactless payment? If so, you can also check in and check out using your mobile or smartwatch. And even with a digital wallet (e-wallet) such as Apple Pay or Google Wallet. Check with your bank or the manufacturer of your mobile phone or smartwatch about how this works.
Are you planning to make multiple public transport trips with us within one hour, day or over multiple days Or would you like to go out with your family or with a group? Then use a barcode ticket. You can easily purchase this via the GVB app Gappie. Here, you can purchase a ticket that is valid for 1, 24, 48, 72, 96 or 120 hours or for the economical group day ticket.
Barcode tickets are valid in all our trams, buses and metros for the chosen number of hours. Exception: The 1-hour ticket is not valid on our night buses. These tickets may not be used with other public transport carriers, such as Connexxion, EBS or NS.
Purchasing a barcode ticket in our app is done as follows:
Open the GVB app
At the bottom of the menu, go to Shop > Buy tickets
Select the number of hours and
Click op Pay and follow the steps in the app
To use your barcode ticket, you need to first activate your ticket in the GVB app via Shop > My tickets
You can use a barcode ticket to check in and check out. Are you travelling by metro? Then use the metro gates to check in and out. To scan your barcode, hold your telephone (with the screen facing down) about 10 cm above the card reader.
Are you travelling by tram or bus? Then check in and out by holding your barcode under the barcode reader. Place your telephone on the round area, with the screen facing up. It is important that you don’t hold your telephone too close to the reader.
One of the most well-known ways to travel by public transport is to use the public transport chip card. This card allows you to travel with us but also with all other public transport carriers in the Netherlands (such as NS, Connexxion and EBS).
There is a personal and an anonymous travel card. Below we explain the difference and the advantages for each type of card.
Would you like to know how to travel with the public transport chip card? Or do you have a different question about checking in and checking out? View the website ov-chipkaart.nl for more information.
Eventually, the public transport chip card will disappear because the technology is outdated and too expensive. OVpay is the successor to the public transport chip card. The validity period of a newly purchased personal or anonymous public transport chip card was about 5 years, but it now runs until the public transport chip card can no longer be used.
A personal card always includes your name and a passport photo. The card is linked to your name, which means that you are the only one who may travel with it.
A personal public transport chip card offers these advantages:
The ability to put all kinds of travel products on the card. For example, a season ticket or a trip on the night bus
The choice to have the card automatically re-load. This means that you will always have sufficient money on your card for travelling
Is your card lost or stolen? Have it be blocked immediately and receive a refund of your remaining balance
Children between 4 and 11 years and seniors 65 years and older travel with an age discount
Would you like to travel with a season ticket (except for GVB Flex)? Or are you entitled to an age discount (for children aged 4-11 years and persons aged 65+)? Then you need a personal public transport chip card. This is because season tickets are personal and, in the case of the age discount, the traveller’s age must be known to be able to calculate the discount.
An anonymous travel card has no name and photo, so it is not linked to your name. This makes the card suitable to share with others (such as family or friends, for example).
An anonymous public transport chip card has the following advantages:
You don’t need to apply for it. After purchasing the card and loading a balance on it, you can immediately use it for travel
You can use this ticket and it can be used by others (but not for the same trip)
You can purchase an anonymous public transport chip card from GVB Service & Tickets, a GVB Service Point or at a GVB ticket machine.
You can purchase a paper chip card with a travel product already on the card. You can select from various types. From a card for 1 hour to a night bus trip or a card for one or more days. You purchase a paper card at GVB card vending machines at stops or in metro stations, GVB Service Points, GVB Service & Ticket locations and various shops such as tobacco and convenience shops. Tram conductors also sell cards for 1 hour or for 1 day.
To make a paper card a valid ticket, you still need to check in and check out. These tickets are only valid in our vehicles, so they may not be used with other public transport carriers, such as Connexxion, EBS or NS.
Night bus or tram drivers do not sell cards. You can only purchase a card from a tram conductor. It is not possible to pay with cash, so make sure you can pay using a debit card or credit card.